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"Mass Effect" is a science-fiction action and role-playing game (RPG) created by BioWare, the commercially and critically acclaimed RPG developer of "Jade Empire” and "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic." "Mass Effect" delivers an immersive, story-driven gameplay experience with stunning visual fidelity.
As one of the first human beings to step onto the galactic stage, you face a grave threat that may destroy all of civilization. Your job is complicated by the fact that no one believes that there is any threat at all. Travel across an expansive universe, exploring the uncharted corners of the galaxy, searching for pieces of the truth in order to discover how to defeat the coming destruction.

A Spectacular New Vision of the Future
The galaxy is trapped in an endless cycle of extinction. Every 50,000 years, an ancient machine race invades the galaxy. With ruthless efficiency, the machines wipe out all advanced organic civilization. They leave behind only the scattered ruins of technology, destroying all evidence of their own existence.

Few believe this ancient legend. You, however, know it to be true. The fight to stop this extinction event has become the most important mission in the galaxy.

"You must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law."

It is your mission. As Commander Shepard of the SS Normandy, you will take your elite recon squad across a galaxy in turmoil, in a desperate race to stop the return of an enemy without mercy. To stop this enemy, you must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law. Your only imperative is to preserve the safety of civilized life in the galaxy - at any cost. You must become the tip of the spear of humanity, for you alone know the full extent of what is at stake if you should fail.

Science-fiction Role-playing: Perfected
Mass Effect allows you to create your own customizable version of Commander Shepard (or jump in and use the pre-created character) and plunge yourself into the center of an epic science-fiction story. Choose your squad-mates, your weapons, skills and abilities, and customize your vehicles, armor and appearance - you are in complete control over your experience.

In the course of your mission to stop the machine invasion, you may choose to follow the path of the soldier, the tech-specialist, or the biotics-specialist...each of which brings an arsenal of unique yet equally powerful abilities to use against the enemy. Wield a multitude of weapon types with precision accuracy...utilize your technical skill to turn enemy war machines against their creators...or unleash the full power of Dark Energy against your foe with devastating effects.

As you progress throughout the game you will improve your character's skills, abilities, and equipment (including weapons, armor, biotic implants and more) to ensure that you have the means to face the growing threat before you.

This customization also extends to the MAKO - the rover with which you will explore the surface of hostile alien worlds. You can improve your vehicle's grip, speed, armor, boosters, weaponry and more.

The role you choose to play in Mass Effect will have tremendous consequences on the galaxy around you. You will face moral dilemmas in which the decision you ultimately make will significantly alter the fate of civilized life in the galaxy.

The Vastness of Space Beckons
Your mission will take you into the deepest reaches of known space - and beyond. Aboard your ship, the Normandy, you will choose which planets to investigate, and where to take your team. In addition to the major worlds of the main story arc, you will have the freedom to visit a wide array of uncharted planets and other locations such as asteroids and abandoned space freightersadrift in space. On many worlds, take your team planet side in the MAKO in order to explore and find alien life, ancient artifacts and ruins, rogue trader colonies and a host of other amazing discoveries.

Lose Yourself in a Living Galaxy
Mass Effect combines astonishing photo-realistic graphics with innovative new dialog systems to create a cast of living characters to interact with. Engage these characters in real-time conversations that allow you to immerse yourself in dramatically charged situations.

Characters communicate with full voice-acting and amazing animation that displays their emotions right down to subtle nuances in their facial expressions. Every wrinkled brow and slight twist of the mouth is captured to infuse every interaction with a feeling of realism.

Lead Your Squad in Intense, Real-Time Combat
The struggle to stop the return of the machines will ultimately be a violent one. You will assume responsibility for the lives of your squad as you lead them into often uncharted, hostile alien environments. Each decision you make could mean the difference between victory and disaster. Although combat will take place in real-time, you will have the ability to pause combat and issue commands to your squad which they will then execute with the precision of a highly trained elite force. Upgrading certain skills and abilities as you level up your character will also allow you to increase your ballistic skill - this can ultimately lead to easier aiming, more damaging use of weapons, and biotic effects with the power to turn the tide of battle in your favor.

* Incredible science-fiction RPG with a rich, engaging story line. On a distant planet an amazing discovery is made. Players must determine the fate of humanity as they lead an elite tactical strike force in an effort to stop an entity so malevolent that it threatens to tear apart the very fiber of galactic civilization. "Mass Effect" will take players to new depths for an action-RPG, where, unlike in most RPGs, they will be faced with morally complex decisions that have significant impact on the fate of all life in the galaxy. Players must succeed in their quest - no matter what the cost.

* Exploring uncharted worlds and uncovering a mystery that defies imagination. In addition to the main story arc of the game, players will be able to visit a large number of uncharted, unexplored planets that are side quests independent from the main story. At any time during the campaign, a player can choose to explore one of these planets and have an opportunity to discover new alien life, resources, ruined civilizations and powerful technologies.

* Real-time, squad-based combat. "Mass Effect" features a real-time, squad-based tactical combat system. Players will enjoy intense, challenging and exciting third-person action and squad-based combat. Players and their squad-mates will be able to engage the enemy with ranged weapons and covering fire, biotic powers and science-based magic, and technological powers - all of which will be accompanied by amazing visual and physics effects that will add tremendous excitement and drama to the battlefield. Whether they usepowerful biotic powers or the latest in military hardware, players will be well-equipped to take on whatever comes their way

* Credible digital actors. "Mass Effect" will feature a huge cast of incredibly realistic nonplayer characters, enemies and party members. Each of the characters encountered will have realistic facial and body movements. A revolutionary advanced dialogue and AI system gives them engaging personalities, creating individuals so realistic they will seem like the first true "digital actors" ever seen in a video game. The resulting experience is one in which players will feel as if they are part of a rich, living world.

* Character customization and deep role-playing systems. Players will be able to choose from and customize a variety of stunning, photo-realistic character appearances at the start of the game, and can increase various statistics that will affect their performance during gameplay. The reward system in "Mass Effect" is deep, well-integrated and extremely engaging. New equipment, weapons and armor that are acquired during the course of the story will change the appearance of the characters.

* "Mass Effect" will give players a huge breadth of additional customization options for their characters, weapons and vehicles. Talents and abilities will be upgradeable, and advanced talent options will become available at higher levels. Weapons and vehicles will be customizable to include various effects, abilities and upgrades. Each character class will have unique talents and abilities that will increase in poweras players progress through the game.

* Next-generation gaming defined. "Mass Effect" takes full advantage of the hardware of Xbox 360, providing players with exciting new experiences, including photo-realistic, high-definition graphics on an epic scale, and amazingly realistic characters who bring the world alive. Players will be immersed in a massive universe of unbelievable scale, meet characters who feel real and, most important, interact with them in ways that have never been possible before. As the future of gaming goes online, premium downloadable content and recognition of achievements will be available via the Xbox Live® online game service.

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Important Information:

If you are a fan of the Mass Effect series, check out the latest game in the series, Mass Effect 3. Available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC and digital download.

Rated 9 out of 10 by 356
reviewers.

Rated 9 out of 10 by HighbornManPon Great
Mass Effect is an incredible game. The storyline is awesome, the gameplay is addicting, the role playing is unparallel to any other game. and much more. This game is awesome and will be long-lasting entertainment. The price of Mass Effect is equal/more expensive than Mass Effect 2, which was also an epic exerpience. So, what does that say about the game?
2/8/12

Rated 10 out of 10 by The One Who Reviews you'll want to play through it twice
Mass Effect is my favorite game of all time. There is so much replay value as well. You customize your person everything from their background to their powers, looks etc. If you like shooters or role playing games at all you will fall in love with this game. You can also decide what your character says and thinks; it's really cool. The story is great you always know why you are doing what you're doing. The combat is really cool and fun. Some characters use bionic powers which is a lot like the force powers in star wars. You can also tell your squad what to do. You always have 2 companions that will help you through the game. I don't really want to go too into the story because it would be a crime to ruin it but trust me you will probably want to play through it again. I'm already on my second play through and I can't see myself just stopping even after a second time it's a great game to have and they lowered the price on the used copy so get it before they raise the prices back up.
8/18/08

Rated 10 out of 10 by Nelos Overboard?
To those who might be wondering if I went overboard by giving every rateable section a perfect 10, I would just like to say that I have not. At least, I personally believe that I have not. I am a huge fan of Role-playing games, and my personal reflections are that this game is on par with Oblivion. Wait, scratch that. I actually enjoyed Mass Effect MORE than Oblivion. The story line, the unique characters and races, along with futuristic weapons - it was like playing Knights of the Old Republic all over again! Just... Minus the lightsabers and the Force. Bioware really went above and beyond when designing this game. They've done a good job trying to keep players focused on completing the story, but that doesn't mean we players aren't free to explore large areas. Quite the contrary, even though Bioware seemingly compels us to finish the story, they realize that personal exploration is also a big part of an RPG. And so I take my hat off to the brilliant men and women who designed this game.
1/12/09

Rated 9 out of 10 by xPrototype94 Very Addictive
i bought Mass Effect 2 days ago and i thought it would be a low rated game but i was wrong. When i started playing it i was so amazed about what i was playing and couldn't believe how this game got my attention and everyone elses. Ever since i bought i been playing for hours and hours and very interesting about the storyline, it talks about space and the life-forms that interact with humans and other speices, i'm kinda into that stuff. the graphics couldn't be more realistic. For a game that came out 3 or 4 years ago it's look every life-like and fun to play. Mass Effect gives you a look of what the futures look and how it is developed. I enjoyed every minute playing Mass Effect. I'm not done with the game yet. But i can tell it'll be more interesting when i get into it more. Only thing is that bothers me is that lags alot. Idk if it's just mine or the servers but, overall nothing to worry about. Mass Effect is a very fun game and gives people so sense of knowledge in what the games is about.
4/26/10

Rated 10 out of 10 by BJAJ Best start for the best role-playing games ever.
This was the first rpg game I have ever played in my entire life. I realized how much I have been missing out. It was confusing for me only becuase I was not fimilary with this type of game play which is in no way a bad thing. I'm playing Mass Effect 3 right now and I can already see how one of my decisions from Mass Effect will greatly impact the fate of entire civilizations and possibly all life in the galaxy. Some decisions that were made I regret making, but being able to make multiple campains with practically infinite amounts of decisions is the reason this franchise has been so successful. I used to think actions games like Halo were the best to have in the world. I realized how wrong I was for my likes and dislikes. For any gamer, this trilogy is seriouly worth your money whether you are a hard core gamer or not. I could play as many hours on one Mass Effect as I did on completely 5 games. Those five games were still good however. Seriously, this experience is worth it, for men and women.
3/11/12

Rated 10 out of 10 by Master Ninja 84 Best. Game . Ever.
Now, I know that I'm late to the party when I bought this game. But I must say that this game was worth the wait. The first thing that I want to praise this game for is it's story. Never have I came across a game that has a surprisingly deep, well thought out story. Most rpgs that I play start you out as a nobody. But in this one, you are the hero already. Next, the conversation system. Instead of just watching a hokey cutscene; Mass Effect gets you involved in the story by way of the conversation system. The action is jus awesome. Bar none. My only complaint is the charactor customization. Now I'm not a designer of games or anything, but I think that it would've been nice if I could choose what race of species I was. Butthat one gripe is negligable. In English. that one blemish is no problem. Over all. For any 360 owner, rpg fan, shooter fan, or even a fan of great games. Buy this game. A game this good doesn' t come around but once in a lifetime. I can't wait for part 2.
2/19/09

Rated 1 out of 10 by disappointed buyer person terrible
if you are not sure whether to buy this or not you probably shouldnt. this game is a good attempt but overall just a fail. the first thing that this game failed is auto save. many times i have walked around for an hour do to lack of action then get bombarded with enemys and have to go back an hour. this is mostly because my team member got in my way my character would get out of my cover. another thing is class fail. when you choose a class you are very limited from you choices of attacks considering the pistol is your main weapon for any class other than soldier. and it takes so long for your powers to regenerate you will be dead by then. another thing is your health is very weak you barely take any hits and you are dead. the driving is also terrible if you look to any direction other than forward with your turret it steers you away. and for how big that vehicle is it takes very little damage before it explodes and when you fix it it doesnt really help. i really suggest that you do not get this game.
1/12/10

Rated 10 out of 10 by Moe1 Simply the Best
Without a doubt , the Mass Effect trilogy is my absolute favorite. I enjoyed every single second of my time playing these excellent games. Furthermore, this game is the third best out of the series. The graphics in this game are not as good as the others. However the storyline is excellent. This game is without a doubt worth the buy, and while youre at it just buy the entire trilogy. Some features I found I love in this game: 1) You get to make your own character with your own backstory and such. 2) You are able to really play the game how you want it with your own decisions. [as in selecting the outcomes. There are multiple endings]. 3) Your choices affect the ending and how the other two games play out. 4) Beautifully written story with close attention to details. 5) Excellently designed characters with real depth to them. 6) In Mass Effect, the shooting is easier compared to 2 and 3. 7) You can change the diffuculty. In conclusion, best trilogy ever. Worth the buy.
10/29/13

Rated 10 out of 10 by r3n3gAd3 Best i've ever played!
I've been meaning to write this review for a while but i haven't gotten around to it for a while. THIS GAME IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! mass effect by far my favorite game ever! When i first started playing i was a little skeptical but after about an hour i realized i had my hands on the worlds greatest game. The game play is fantastic its super fun and pretty easy to get use to. The story is awesome once you start to understand whats going on in the universe and what the different alien races are like. i love the character customization and all the items you get. you literally get hundreds! the only down side is the combat on the side missions starts to get repetitive after a while because all the facilities and stuff you are fighting in all have the same layout. One more problem is exploring planets. the first few times is pretty fun but after a while it gets kinda boring you seem to spend a lot of time doing. Those are the only two things that people may not like about the game but i loved every bit of it!!!!
2/14/11

Rated 9 out of 10 by Jureidini Where It All Began
I have been getting ready for ME3 after being turned on to the franchise from ME2, however I still had to go back to the original. Here are my 2013 thoughts on what is an oldie, but a goodie. First off, ME had an awesome start with a terrific and incredibly involving storyline. You develop lots of love/hate for the characters who really feel lifelike thanks to good voiceacting, and you always feel as if your objective is a must. Graphics are decent, bit lumpy but for the time it was terrific and does not take away from the experience. Lumpy definitely is the word I would use again to describe your combat gameplay....out of everything this is where the sequels made massive steps. For the ME fans who [picked up on it at the later games like myself, do yourself a favour and give a brief playthrough of the original as I did. Scouring through isn't necessary, but a simply 15-20 hours easily provides all the experiences of the grand daddy that you would want. Hard to find a good copy though! Good luck fellow fans.
1/15/13